Clinical Microbiology in Underresourced Settings.

The article discusses the environment of laboratory diagnostic bacteriology testing in several underresourced settings experienced by the author. The major global infectious diseases are usually managed with government or donor-supported systems, whereas basic laboratory testing for bacterial infections has no formal global programs. The causes of many of those diseases can be detected using simple manual bacteriologic methods available in most resource-limited environments; however, the challenges of building laboratory capacity in those settings are many. Positive and negative aspects of developing such capacities in selected locations are presented.